Forty or so students were surprised at their Utah elementary school when their lunches were discarded because of charges on their meal accounts The Salt Lake City Tribune reported Wednesday.
The students at Uintah Elementary were then provided fruit and milk after a child nutrition manager in Uintah's home school district, Salt Lake City made the call to toss the lunches The Tribune reported.
"It was pretty traumatic and humiliating," Erica Lukes told The Tribune. Lukes's 11-year-old daughter was one of the children who endured the incident.
A cafeteria manager has subsequently been placed on paid administrative leave according to The Tribune. The district could make more changes.
"I think it's despicable," Lukes told The Tribune. "These are young children that shouldn't be punished or humiliated for something the parents obviously need to clear up," Luke told The Tribune.
"To me this rises to the level of bullying," Sen. Todd Weiler (R-Woods Cross) told The Tribune. "Children were humiliated."
"I think it's an abuse of power," Weiler told The Tribune. "This person came into a school and used her power to humiliate and embarrass children and I think we ought to draw a line and say that's not acceptable behavior."
Similar incidences have reportedly happened in the past.
"The kitchen managers are aghast every time they have to do that," Pam Gomez, a former cafeteria worker told The Tribune.
"You have children crying. You know they get embarrassed because it happens in front of everybody. It's sad for those kids, but at least now the policy is out in the open," Gomez told The Tribune.
Gomez retired from the position in 2012 following seven years of service.
One parent of a kindergarten student found the payment method difficult to navigate.
"The school district has decided to nickel and dime these kids and literally bully them over their lunch money," Sven Haynes, a Uintah parent told The Tribune.
